POSTED 11:12 p.m. EDT, July 12, 2006

PFT PRESEASON POWER RANKINGS:  NO. 21

We can't think of anything interesting to say before unveiling the next team on our worst-to-first hierarchy of the 32 NFL teams.  So here's the latest entry.

The St. Louis Rams.

Lo, how the mighty have fallen.  Not long ago, the Rams were the darlings of the NFL.  The Greatest Show-Offs on Turf.  Dynasty in the making.  Yada, yada, fart, yada.

But something happened on the way to Canton.

The guy most responsible for that something was former head coach Mike Martz, who pissed away a second Lombardi in 2001 by stubbornly refusing to take what the Pats' crack-but-don't-shatter defense was giving him, throwing again and again and again into heavy coverage.

Martz's mania continued to eat away at the franchise over the following years, placing too much focus on the offense and failing to make the defense strong enough to save the day against quality foes.  The team consistently declined over the four seasons following the failed Super Bowl, bottoming out at 6-10 in 2005 -- and resulting in the arguably overdue departure of the head coach, whose fate was sealed after a bacterial heart infection forced him out of commission for much of the 2005 season.

Enter Scott Linehan, a former offensive coordinator who didn't even finagle an interview in Minnesota, where the team was hiring a successor to Linehan's old boss, Mike Tice.  Linehan, in our view, got the job in St. Louis for the same reason that guys like Mike McCarthy and Sean Payton landed head coaching gigs -- none of them will ever try to upset the front-office apple cart by making a power grab.

Meanwhile, G.M.-who-wasn't-really-G.M. Charley Armey has been phased out, replaced in authority but not in title late in the offseason (and well after the draft) by former Panthers director of college scouting Tony Softli.

On offense, there are still plenty of familiar names:  Orlando Pace, Torry Holt, Isaac Bruce, Marc Bulger.  And recent first-rounders like running back Steven Jackson and tackle Alex Barron will be relied upon to step up this year.  But can Linehan make the available talent fit his system in only one offseason?  Or will he be just another example of the Peter Principle played out in pro football? 

And can Bulger stay healthy?  The use of two tight ends in Linehan's attack might help to keep Bulger in one piece, but if he gets hurt the backup is Gus Frerotte, who has been with Linehan for four years now.  All things considered, Frerotte might give the team a better shot at maximizing its wins in 2006.

On defense, new coordinator Jim Haslett will get the most out of the talent.  The only problem is that the talent, even at its best, won't be enough.  Defensive tackle Jimmy Kennedy has been a bust.  Newcomer La'Roi Glover's best days are in his behind.  The linebackers are average at best.  The secondary is so-so. 

The organization's biggest error, in our view, was giving Martz so much authority over personnel decisions.  The team that won the Super Bowl was built without Martz having his finger on the button, and the front office would have been wise -- and might have avoided plenty of acrimony -- if Martz had been put in his place early on.

This time around, the Rams will go with a head coach who knows his place.  If the front office can get him the players that will be successful in the schemes the team is using, the Rams could climb back to the top of a weak division.  Eventually.  After the Seahawks decline.

Now for the fantasy grades.

Quarterback:  Bulger is under contract for only two more years, and we think it's going to take a strong season to persuade the team to stick with him in 2007.  If the Rams finish in range to snag a high-level quarterback in the draft, it might be time to bid buh-bye to Bulger and to let the new guy learn the ropes under Frerotte.  Our guess is that Bulger will respond well to the increased pressure, and based on a solid string of past performances we'll give him a B.

Running back:  Jackson rushed for more than 1,000 yards and eight touchdowns last year.  But Linehan has a history of using a backup near the goal line, and even though Marshall Faulk is most likely gone there are several guys who could end up taking touches, including undrafted free agent John David Washington, son of Oscar winner Denzel.  Jackson gets a B.

Wide receiver:  Torry Holt is still in his prime, and quietly has been one of the best receivers of the decade.  Give him an A.  Isaac Bruce was cut in the offseason and then re-signed, and his numbers last year were way off due in part to injuries that limited him to 10 starts.  He's no longer a top-shelf fantasy star, but in most leagues someone who hasn't been following the sport closely over the past couple of years surely will burn a pick on him.  Kevin Curtis is a better option, and could be on his way to putting up huge numbers across from Holt.  We'd seriously consider Curtis as a third wideout in lieu of a tight end.

Tight end:  The only people who'll draft Jerome Collins or Aaron Walker are their mothers, if someone spikes the Deer Park with Grey Goose.  They are listed as No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, on the team's offseason depth chart.  But rookies Joe Klopfenstein (round two) and Dominique Byrd (round three) likely will be factors.  We'd throw a late-round pick on one of these guys, given that Linehan's offense routinely has featured plenty of balls to the tight ends.  So keep an eye on who's getting the reps in camp, and consider grabbing him in the event that he becomes one of those guys that no one heard of in August, but whose name everyone knows in January.

Defense:  The Rams had the 30th-ranked defense in 2005, and gave up the most points in the NFC -- and only two less than the 2-14 Texans.  Avoid.

Kicker:  Even without Martz around, the offense will gain yards and score points.  That makes Jeff Wilkins a viable option.  We give him a B-, and we predict he'll be a steal in most leagues.